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Dog rescued after 2 hours at bottom of well

By News-Tribune

Sept. 23, 2013

STANDARD (AP) — A dog that fell 23 feet into a northern Illinois well was able to swim for two hours until firefighters could hoist him to safety.

Doogie, a Goldendoodle, was relatively unscathed after being rescued Saturday near the tiny Putnam County town of Standard. His owners said he fell in after bounding up to greet a worker who had opened the top of the family's well to inspect it.

Arch and Judy Hopkins told the (LaSalle) News-Tribune (http://tinyurl.com/mrbq5uv ) that the sight of their dog at the bottom of the well was "horrifying."

Doogie alternately swam and wedged himself from wall to wall with his legs while firefighters determined how to rescue him.

Fire Chief Mike Skowera said a firefighter rappelled into the well, but could not immediately see a safe way to raise the dog.

"The major delay was trying to figure out what to get around this dog," Skowera said, adding that they feared Doogie would fall again if they used a harness made for people.

They decided to use a nylon mesh bag that allows air and water to pass through, which is used to recover drowning victims. Firefighter Kyle Camatti went back down and "somehow got Doogie into the body bag," and they were hauled up, Arch Hopkins said.

A veterinarian who came to the home said Doogie appeared to be OK, with only a bruised lip and scratched eye.